TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: The media has been positively gleeful reporting that Scientology apparently has ensnared a new celebrity adherent in former ‘Teen Wolf’ heartthrob Dylan Sprayberry, 28. For a more sober take on his announcement, we turned to top former church executive Claire Headley. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“As in the case of the playwright and caveman, the ‘demon circuits’ which talk and act on the stage or growl and prowl in the jungle are both natural mechanisms of the analytical mind. The reactive mind, however, by engrams, can force ‘demon circuits’ into action so that the analyzer has no control over them. Then you get a case with voices mysteriously talking to him or a case which ‘thinks’ in words instead of conclusions. All audible or subaudible ‘stream of consciousness,’ whereby something in the head is articulating thought, is caused by reactive mind engrams. But it remains that the only reason the engram can bring such a circuit into play is because the analytical mind natively contains circuits which can come into play. You can wreck these circuits with shock or surgery as a baby can ruin a radio by taking a hammer to its works, but the circuit belongs to the analytical mind and is only forced into aberrative action by an engram which, no matter the wreckage, is still very much there but has no mind to act upon.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“So, somebody trying to understand life sitting down on a mountain top some place in lower Jesus or some place — Jerusalem, excuse me — and he’s contemplating his navel or something, and trying to get the hot dope, he gives you all sorts of things. If he starts to get close to the truth, then the things he utters appear to be idiocies, see. If he gets close to the truth. Like, there really is no universe – Mary Baker Eddy. There is no universe. All is infinite mind. Isn’t it true? It’s very, very, very true but that doesn’t prevent Christian Science from being the leading religious faith you find on the rosters of insane asylums.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 14 1964
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“To all staff & students: Per HCO P/L 26 July 1965, ‘All students of any course are debarred from visiting any medical or healing practitioner unless they are given Ethics clearance first and all possibility of ‘rollercoaster’ (sudden case decline) has been looked into and any suppressive or bad auditing precisely isolated. The exception is an emergency involving severe injury, or infectious disease, but in this case the student must be cleared by Ethics to be permitted back on course or even in the Org. This includes all accidents.’ This line is to be in as of now. Course Admin is to ensure student goes to Ethics first. Staff are to go to HCO Reception and route to MO then MAA & Examiner. Until the new routing forms are approved & issued — Reception and Course Admin will have to write it in. The point is this line is effective now and no one sees the MO without following the line.” — Norma Randell for HAS, July 14, 1971
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“A dwindling spiral of confront has been implanted in all of us, a culture of fear. Well, to hell with all this nonsense and Marcab PR. We are the FREE people. This planet is OURS. Times must change and a new breed of Scientologists must arise from the ashes and rise high like The Phoenix. This time is NOW.”
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1996: Time magazine won the case brought by Scientology for the 1991 article, “Scientology: Cult of Greed”. From Reuters: “A federal judge Tuesday dismissed a libel suit brought by the Church of Scientology International against Time Warner, Inc. and its Time Inc. Magazine Co. U.S. District Judge Peter Leisure threw out the case, which alleged that a 10-page article entitled ‘Scientology: The Cult of Greed,’ carried false and defamatory statements. The article was published in 1992 by Time Magazine. Last year the court dismissed part of the case but heard new arguments on a remaining issue. The judge said the article also criticized the church on other subjects including the validity of its belief system, the harmfulness of its methods of counseling and its tactics of combating critics. ‘These statements were either not challenged by plaintiff or were held to be nonactionable by the Court on the grounds that no reasonable jury could find that they were published with actual malice,’ the judge wrote.” Scientology cloaked its loss with claims that they welcome the decision, as it allows them to appeal the entire decision. “We are astonished by this outcome, but its really a blessing in disguise,’ said the Reverend Heber C Jentzsch, President of the Church of Scientology International. ‘It will give the Court of Appeals the opportunity to impose order on the chaos created by the District Court’s dismissal rulings. We have every confidence that the Appeals Court will see things our way. They won’t let a decision stand that makes bias a defense to defamation and we will be able to proceed to trial to prove that this story was not only malicious, but was a paid-for attack on the Church, a charge that Time has never refuted.”
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“If the ‘tech’ is perfect, how did all these SP’s slip through into the upper echelons of Scientology management in the first place?”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence. Now serving time in state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for June 19.
Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal, which is now fully briefed. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
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Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, Scientology Black Ops: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society. Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in a weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Scientology fail: The natural act every Scientologist fears
[TWO years ago] US government proposes new rule on ‘religious visas’ Scientology is obsessed with
[THREE years ago] Losing a friend they knew in Scientology: A tribute to a remarkable woman
[FOUR years ago] The nice Scientologist who was caught writing code for ransomware scammers
[FIVE years ago] Another hype video! Scientology still begging members to go to the cruise ship’s ‘OT Bubble’
[SIX years ago] ‘Scientology Black Ops’ series with Leah Remini & Paul Haggis spiked by Aussie network
[SEVEN years ago] Is it time for Scientology to replace its cruise ship? If so, we’ve done the shopping.
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology fundraiser: ‘It was commonplace to lie to church members to get donations’
[NINE years ago] Now that Neil deGrasse Tyson is up against Leah Remini for an Emmy, will he rethink Scientology?
[TEN years ago] To Scientology’s Emily Jones: We have a message from your mother
[ELEVEN years ago] Wise Beard Man visits Scientology’s new Fantasyland in Clearwater
[TWELVE years ago] The Dallas Morning News asks a question about Scientology, and we want your response
[THIRTEEN years ago] LEAH REMINI BLOWBACK: Kirstie Alley Calls for Scientology Celeb Strategy Session
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,689 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,193 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,699 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,249 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,625 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,120 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,426 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,075 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,293 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,847 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,188 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,759 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,675 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,842 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,428 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,687 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,435 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,004 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,315 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,490 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,172 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,509 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,362 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,478 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,840 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,639 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,523 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,096 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,599 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,859 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,963 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 14, 2026 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.
Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
